Solanithrips halffteri (Johansen)

Solanithrips halffteri (Johansen) View in CoL

( Figs 4–11 View FIGURES 1–11 )

Bravothrips halffteri Johansen, 1986: 102 View in CoL

Solanithrips rubrus Johansen, 1997: 109 View in CoL syn. nov.

Solanithrips strasseni Johansen, 1997: 109 View in CoL syn. nov.

Material Examined. Holotype and paratypes of Solanithrips halffteri , S. rubrus and S. strasseni . Mexico. Guerrero: Sierra Madre del Sur, El Faisanal (Paraíso-Atoyac), 1200 m, “sobre follaje de Solanum sp. ”, 13.xii.1982, 15 females and 1 male (J.Llorente); Additional specimen: Hidalgo: 2 km west of Calnali, 1250 m, “en enves de hojas de Solanum sp. ”, 7.iii.1981 ( R.M.Johansen) ( IBUNAM).

The two new species of Solanithrips described by Johansen (1997) were based on specimens that all belonged to the type series of Bravothrips halffteri , all of which were acquired during a single collecting event ( Johansen 1986). Except for one slide pencil-labelled as “ strasseni ”, unfortunately the type specimens of neither of the 1997 species were ever relabelled—there are only code numbers and notes that make it difficult to accurately examine the material. The two additional Solanithrips species in Johansen (1997) were distinguished based especially on the following characters: (i) mouth cone length, (ii) number of setae on the pronotal anterior and posterior margins; and (iii) striation of occipital and metanotal areas. After examining the original series, comprising 16 specimens all labelled as “ Bravothrips halffteri ”, we conclude that these specimens represent only one species. The mouth cone seems to be within the expected degree of variation of one species, and any differences are only an artifact due to the different positions of the specimens’ mouth cones in the mounting medium. Similarly, the level of striation/ reticulation on the occipital and metanotal areas is a continuum from parallel to loose reticles, which are not necessarily equally present on both sclerites in the same specimen. Finally, the anteromarginal and posteromarginal setae vary in number and position among individuals and are sometimes bilaterally asymmetrical, as also occurs in other Thysanoptera species. These observations and the fact that all individuals were collected from only one population leads us to propose the two synonyms mentioned above.